Anne BralyWhether it’s for tailgating or just to ward off the fall chill that creeps into the Tennessee Valley this time of year, pots are brimming with chili. And, in the Southeast, that means ground beef, chili seasonings and, of course, beans.
Don’t let anyone fool you, we’re not in Texas, where beans are a no-no. We’re in Tennessee, and most every chili recipe calls for beans of some kind.
Mine? I make chili with two kinds of beans: kidney and garbanzo, perhaps better known as chickpeas. Beans add texture and taste, plus lots of protein. And they extend the chili to help feed more folks because, as we all know, chili is usually made for more than one.
The trick to any chili is to slowly build flavor by letting the seasonings simmer for an hour or two so they can fully marry with other ingredients.
Chili is a very forgiving dish. If you let it sit too long and it dries out, add a bottle of dark beer, a little at a time. It will add moisture and a new depth of flavor to the pot. And here are a few other unexpected additions I’ve used:
‘ McCormick’s chili-cocoa powder.
‘ A tablespoon of dark cocoa powder.
‘ Add a stick of cinnamon and let it simmer with the other ingredients for about 30 minutes.
‘ A little red wine is always a bonus.
‘ A couple of generous splashes of balsamic vinegar.
If you’re not sure how it will taste, put some chili in a small bowl and add a small amount of whatever extra ingredient you decide to use. Taste and proceed from there.
The smell alone will bring the crowds running with bowls in hand. All you have to do is sit back and let them ladle up their own, adding whatever toppings you have on hand: chopped onions, sliced jalapeno peppers, shredded cheese, sour cream and maybe even some chunks of avocado, which add color, a nice creamy texture to the chili and, of course, Omega-3 vitamins, turning chili into a health food.
Who’d ever thought that?
Two-Bean Chili
1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed, sliced
1 pound lean ground beef
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup flour
3 tablespoons chili powder, or more to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons basil
1 teaspoon oregano
2 (28-ounce) cans chopped tomatoes
1 can garbanzo beans, undrained
1 can kidney beans, undrained
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1-1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce, or to taste
In large pot, cook sausage, ground beef, onion and green pepper until meats are no longer pink and vegetables are tender. Drain off fat. Stir in flour, chili powder, ground cumin, basil, oregano and salt; cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes. Stir in beans, Worcestershire and hot sauces. Simmer for 3 hours, adding water or a bottle of dark beer, a little at a time, if necessary. Makes about 3 quarts. Freezes well.
Gulf Shores eats
If you happen to have plans or some free time to travel to Gulf Shores, Ala., the weekend of Nov. 6, and want to have your fill of oysters, beer, music and more, put the Hangout Oyster Cook-Off and Craft Beer weekend on your agenda. Chattanooga’s own Erik Niel, owner and executive chef of Easy Bistro and Main Street Meats, will be one of an amazing lineup of more than 70 chefs participating in the cook-off. And more than 60 breweries will be represented. Tickets, the complete schedule and more information can be found at hangoutcookoff.com.
Courting food
Also, I recently drove over to Murphy, N.C., and have never seen the small mountain town so active, thanks to the opening of the new Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino. And while there are no sit-down restaurants, such as those you’ll find across the mountains in Cherokee, N.C., there is a large food court that attracted me to the casino in the first place.
There are six eateries: Arthur Treacher’s, Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs, Panda Express, Papa John’s, Starbucks and my favorite: Earl of Sandwich. So glad I don’t have to go to Las Vegas to have The Full Montagu: roast beef, turkey, Swiss and cheddar cheeses, lettuce, tomato and mustard sauce.
And, as are all the sandwiches, it’s served hot so the cheese melts, and it gets all gooey. Absoluteley delicious. I don’t think it will be long before sit-down restaurants are added, but for now, the food court is a good start.
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.